Fire Stations Boost Staffing

Sonora, CA — CAL Fire is hiring seasonal firefighters early this year because of ongoing concerns about the drought conditions.

“The recent rainfall is not enough for us to let our guard down,” says Dale Hutchinson, CAL Fire Southern Region Chief. “Though the rain is great in the short term, even if it rained straight for several months, we wouldn’t catch up to the amount of rainfall we need.” The early hiring includes 14 firefighters in the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit and 15 in the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit.

Statewide, CAL Fire has already responded to over 500 wildfires this year, which have charred over 1,130 acres. In a normal year, CAL Fire averages about 130 wildfires to this point.